Thomas Bewick

“ The celebrated Thomas Bewick was apprenticed to him in 1767, and ten years afterwards became his partner. This partnership was dissolved in 1797, and the business then devolved on Bewick alone. Beilby was distinguished for his literary and scientific pursuits, and was also a good musician. He was one of the earliest and most zealous promoters of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle. Beilby engraved the beautiful frontispiece to Gay's 'Fables' (Newcastle, 1779) , and he was engaged with Bewick in executing the engravings for Osterwald's edition of the Bible (Newcastle, 1806) . ”

“ He died at Prospect Lodge, Richmond, in which place he had long resided, on 13 Jan. 1866; he was an amiable, unpretending man, and the last survivor of Bewick's pupils.
[Thomas Bewick and his Pupils, by the present writer, 1884; Robinson's Thomas Bewick, 1887; Chatto's Treatise on Wood Engraving, 1839; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists.] ”

“ During the last months of his life he was also engaged in making sketches on the block for the Fabliaux of Le Grand, translated by Way, 1790; and for an edition of Somervile's 'Chase' issued by Bulmer in the same year. These were chiefly engraved by Thomas Bewick, who also, he says (Memoir, p. 108) , completed the drawings for the 'Chase' after his brother's death.
As is generally the case with those who die young, it is somewhat difficult to speak of John Bewick's merits as an artist and engraver. ”

“ The Catnach Press
removed by Mr. W. S. Fortey—Catnach’s successor—to Great St. Andrew-street, Bloomsbury, W.C.
O tempora! O mores!
Larger Image
Thomas Bewick,
Thomas Bewick died at his house on the Windmill-Hills, Gateshead, November the 8th, 1828, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, and on the 13th he was buried in the family burial-place at Ovingham, where his parents, wife, and brother were interred. ”

“ Edward attended the one, while George was present at the other.
An interesting anecdote is told of Thomas Bewick in reference to Ebenezer Landells. When it was proposed to place him as a pupil with that eminent wood engraver, the father of the lad said, "Well, Mr. Bewick, I hope you will make my son a clever fellow." "Mr. Landells," replied the veteran, "I'll do my best to teach him what I know, but if God Almighty hasn't put brains into your son's head, it's impossible for me to put them there!"
[Pg 9]
Edward Dalziel. ”

“ There may be men now, or some may in after years appear, whose works may in some respects rival or even excel his, but not the less must Thomas Bewick of Newcastle-on-Tyne be considered in the art of engraving on wood what Linnæus will ever be in natural history, though not the founder, yet the enlightened improver and illustrious promoter. ”

“ BEWICK, THOMAS (1763–1828) , wood engraver, was born in August 1753, at Cherryburn House, on the south bank of the Tyne, in the parish of Ovingham, Northumberland. Part of the old cottage still exists as 'byre' or cowhouse to a more modern Cherryburn, yet occupied by his descendants. His father, John Bewick, was a small farmer, who also rented a land-sale colliery (i.e. a colliery the coals of which are sold on the spot to persons in the neighbourhood) at Mickley, close by his mother, John Bewick's second wife, came of a Cumberland family. ”

“ In addition to the full title of our work—“The History of the Catnach Press”—the two Catnachs—John and James—father and son, we deem it necessary to incidentally introduce into our pages some notice of Alnwick, an ancient borough, market-town and parish of Northumberland, also a few passing remarks on the life and doings of Mr. William Davison, who, in conjunction with the elder Catnach as a business partner and subsequent successor, employed Thomas Bewick—an English artist, who imparted the first impulse to the art of wood-engraving—for many of their publications. ”

“ A pitman, George Parkin, who had long wrought in the colliery, was highly valued by my father for his industry, sobriety, and honesty. He would not do anything unfairly himself in working the coal in the boards, nor suffer others to do so. For this conduct he became deservedly a great favourite,—so much so that one of the old lodges had been comfortably fitted up for him and his family to live in rent free; and a garth, besides, was taken off the common for his use. For these he often expressed himself so highly pleased that he used to say, he was happier than a prince. ”

“ Parentage—Four Brothers and a Sister, Ebenezer Landells, Thomas Bewick, William Harvey, and Samuel Lover.
We were members of a family of twelve children, and, with one exception, we were born at Wooler, Northumberland, the youngest having been born at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Our father spent a great part of his time in horticultural pursuits, and in middle life took up art as a profession. He also held a commission in the Northumberland Militia. ”

“ Placed as a youth with his uncle, Thomas Clennell, a grocer and tanner of Morpeth, he continued to develope an early manifested taste for art until, upon the recommendation of a nobleman who saw one of his drawings, he was transferred from the counter to the care of Bewick, the Newcastle engraver [see Bewick, Thomas] . This was in April 1797. With Bewick he remained seven years, during which time he copied on the block, and subsequently engraved, several of the designs of Robert Johnson [see Johnson, Robert] , which were used as tail-pieces for Bewick's 'Water Birds,' 1804. ”

“ With cuts by Thomas Bewick. Alnwick: printed by J. Catnach. 1800.”
[Pg 5] 3.—“The Hermit of Warkworth. A Northumberland Ballad. In three Fits. By Dr. Thos. Percy, Bishop of Dromore. With Designs by Mr. Craig; and Engraved on Wood by Mr. Bewick. Alnwick: Printed and Sold by J. Catnach. Sold by Lackington, Allen, and Co., London; Constable and Co., Edinburgh; and Hodgson, Newcastle. ”

“ Mr. Hugo, in the Supplement to his “Bewick Collector,” pp. 256 (5137) , says:—“This very beautiful Cut was done by Thomas Bewick, sometime about the year 1794, for a well-known Alnwick printer.”
[Pg 40]
“Death made no conquest of this man,
For now he lives in fame, though not in life.”
At the time James—or, as he afterwards was popularly called “Jemmy,” or, “Old Jemmy” Catnach commenced business in Seven Dials it took all the prudence and tact which he could command to maintain his position, as at that time “Johnny” Pitts, [6] of the Toy and Marble Warehouse, No. 6, Great St. ”

“ By way of taking off the attention of the “over-inquisitive” as to his stock of honey, he kept hives in his garden at home, and sold the produce of these to his neighbours; but the greater part of his stock was sold at distant parts of the country. In this way, and by his industry and good management, he became what was accounted very rich; and, as prosperity excites envy, some people, in a kind of derision (his mother being a midwife) , called him “Tom Howdy.” ”

“ As soon as the account of the unhappy death of George Graceless and his companions was made known to their master, he was obliged to dispatch a messenger to inform their parents, and the shocking news had such a melancholy effect [Pg 23] on George Graceless's papa and mamma, that they both died of a broken heart within a month afterwards; and the parents of the other naughty boys were so greatly afflicted with their loss, that it rendered the remainder of their lives miserable. Such were the fatal consequences of these naughty boys neglecting that duty which every one owes to his Maker ”

“ No doubt all thinking men in their passage through life must have experienced feelings of a similar kind. My old and revered preceptor, the Rev. Christopher Gregson, died this year. No sooner did the news of his extreme illness reach me, than I set off, in my usual way, and with all speed, to Ovingham. ”

“ The student of landscape can never consult the works of Bewick without improvement. The backgrounds to the figures of his Quadrupeds and his Birds, and his vignettes, have a charm of nature quite his own. He gives us, in these, every season of the year; and his trees, whether in the clothing of summer, or in the nakedness of winter, are the trees of an artist bred in the country. ”

“ Smith’s Cheviot sheep, on which, in April, 1798, the latter sent for me to draw and engrave a figure of one of his rams, by way of contrasting it with the figure Mr. Bailey had given. The colour Mr. Smith gave to the business was, not to find fault with Mr. Bailey’s figure, but to show how much he (Mr. Smith) had improved the breed since Mr. Bailey had written his report.
Whilst I was at Woodhall, I was struck with the sagacity of a dog belonging to Mr. Smith. The character for sagacity of the Shepherd’s Dog was well-known to me, but this instance of it was exemplified before my own eyes. Mr. ”

“ When its master is safe across, it will come bounding in his tracks. The desolate stillness of the spot, the bleak, inhospitable look of the snow-clad landscape, are admirably given. But Bewick is capable of even higher things than these. ”

“ To be placed in the midst of a wood in the night, in whirlwinds of snow, while the tempest howled above my head, was sublimity itself, and drew forth aspirations to Omnipotence such as had not warmed my imagination so highly before ”

“ While this exhilarating season glided on by imperceptible degrees, unfolding its blossoms till they faded into summer, and as the days lengthened, my hours of rising became more and more early. I have often thought, that not one half of mankind knew anything of the beauty, the serenity, and the stillness of the summer mornings in the country, nor have ever witnessed the rising sun’s shining forth upon the new day. ”

“ This sublime—this amazing—this mighty work of suns and worlds innumerable is too much for the vision of a finite, purblind, proud, little atom of the Creation, strutting or crawling about in the shape of man. ”

“ When its immense territory is filled with an enlightened population, and its government, like a rock, founded on the liberties and the rights of man, it is beyond human comprehension to foresee the strides the nation will make towards perfection. ”

“ If they survive these trials, still they leave behind a want of health and vigour, which hangs upon them through life, and they become the nerveless outcasts of nature. They are then unfit to become the mothers of Englishmen; they twine out a life of ennui, and their generation dies out. ”

“ Brother has been set in enmity against brother, neighbour against neighbour, and nation against nation, fully charged with vengeance to destroy each other, and by which rivers of blood have been spilt. ”

“ How vividly do recollections of the enjoyment angling has afforded me return to the mind, now when those days have passed away, never more to return. Like the pleasing volume of the patriarch of anglers—Izaac Walton—volumes might yet be written to point out and to depicture the beautiful scenery of woods and water sides, in the midst of which the pleasures attendant upon this exhilarating and health-restoring, hungry, exercise is pursued. ”

“ Religion is of a pure and spotless nature; it is uniform, consistent, and of the same complexion and character in all nations. Languages and customs may greatly differ, but the language of the pure devotion of the heart to its Maker is the same over the face of the whole earth. Religion, therefore, demands our utmost reverence ”

“ As soon as I was so far recovered as to be able to sit at the window at home, I began to draw designs upon the wood of the fables and vignettes; and to me this was a most delightful task. In impatiently pushing forward to get to press with the publication, I availed myself of the help of my pupils—my son, William Harvey, and William Temple—who were eager to do their utmost to forward me in the engraving business, and in my struggles to get the book ushered into the world. Notwithstanding the pleasurable business of bringing out this publication, I felt it an arduous undertaking. ”

“ I always thought highly of Edinburgh and its bold and commanding situation; but the new town, or city of palaces, as it is sometimes called, had been added to it since I had seen it. But all these splendid buildings are of trivial import compared with the mass of intellect and science which had taken root and had been nurtured and grown up to such a height as to rival, and perhaps to outstrip, every other city in the world. ”

“ It would no longer be a wide-spread garden of Eden, nor an earthly paradise within the reach of our enjoyments. May the fruits and flowers of it, reared and presented by their fair hands, ever operate as a charm in ensuring the attentions and unabating regard of all men! And of all good men it will. ”

“ In this state of the public mind, the French people rose simultaneously, as one man, and with unconquerable energy and bravery, like a whirlwind, swept the advocates and the armies of despotism from off the face of the earth. ”

“ The attentive angler must sometimes have observed the almost invisible, incipient, living spawn in thousands, appearing only like floating mud, sunning themselves on a shallow sand-bank, which, as soon as the water thus poisoned reaches them, they drop down like mud indeed, and are no more seen. ”

“ Those who think for themselves, and can believe in one God, and reverence, adore, and worship Him, must ever feel disgusted to dwell on the endless modes of faith with which mankind have been pestered and stultified for ages past, and also feel grieved to think upon the evils—the persecutions—the wars—and the miseries, these have from time to time inflicted upon the half-civilized world. ”